15 January 2024 , 23:53
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Love Island All Stars made an explosive start on Monday night as a slew of past Islanders descended on the newly revamped villa in South Africa.
Joining the villa were Georgia Harrison, Toby Aromolaran, Kaz Kamwi, Chris Taylor, Georgia Steel, Anton Danyluk, Hannah Elizabeth, Jake Cornish, Demi Jones, Luis Morrison, Liberty Poole and Mitchel Taylor.
The first instalment of the special spin-off series saw returning host Maya Jama make a glamorous entrance while the first All Star couples were formed. However, there were awkward reunions too as some former couples were reunited within seconds of arriving at the villa.
Liberty, 24, and Jake, 26, coupled up during the 2021 series of Love Island. However, in a shocking twist, Liberty decided to end her romance with Jake just days before the series seven final, saying at the time: "I just don't feel like you love me for me and I want someone who loves me for me."
Love Island All Stars viewers were left baffled on Monday night as exes Liberty Poole and Jake Cornish were coupled up (ITV)On the Love Island 2021 Aftersun reunion just days later, Liberty confronted Jake for not making any effort to make it "work properly" in a pre-recorded video. Liberty added at the time: "I just think we did the right thing in us going our separate ways and I feel like we're both in happier places now because of that. He seems a lot happier and I know that I'm a lot happier, so we've done the right thing."
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And on Monday night's All Stars, the former couple were reunited for the first time in two years. Liberty was shocked to see former flame Jake enter the villa to which Chris, 33, quipped: "Well this is a fantastic start isn't it, you’re going to have to have it out. Have you two spoken?" to which Liberty admitted: "No…not really. It’s been two years…"
However, lucky for Liberty, the awkward reunion was soon interrupted by her best friend and fellow 2021 Islander Kaz, 29. Later, the two BFFs went for a chat to discuss how Liberty was feeling about being reunited with Jake. Liberty admitted: "You know what babe, I'll have a chat tonight and because we are exes and we haven’t spoken I want to see exactly where he is at."
However, things took yet another awkward twist when host Maya revealed that the public had been voting for which Islanders they wanted to be coupled up together as Liberty and Jake were partnered. Jake said of being coupled up: "Like I said, I don't hate the girl! There's no bad blood, we left, we're fine, we left on good terms" as they both firmly shut down any chance of a romantic rekindle.
Liberty and Jake in happier times in 2021 (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Taking to Twitter, now X, one person said: "LMAOOO THE BRITISH PUBLIC REALLY COUPLED JAKE AND LIBERTY TOGETHER #LoveIsland", a different account put: "IM SORRY BUT THE BRITISH PUBLIC COUPLING UP LIBERTY AND JAKE AFTER ALL OF THEIR MESS IN THEIR SEASON IS WILDD #LoveIsland" while another fan wrote: "I actually don’t get why jake and liberty have been voted together again #LoveIsland."
Elsewhere, one person said: "Jake and Liberty coupled up ? Really? #LoveIsland", a different account put: "WHY Y’ALL VOTED FOR LIBERTY AND JAKE #loveisland", another wrote: "Jake & Liberty. I don't know why the public would do that #LoveIsland #AllStars" while a different viewer added: "Nah y’all are messy. Why did people vote for Jake and Liberty #LoveIsland."
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With the upcoming All-Stars series set to see previous icons return and awkward exes reunite, the Mirror team will help you stay on top of all the gossip from inside and outside the villa. To get all the biggest Love Island stories as they come out, follow this link.
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